


The War of Yllauras

by SeaSpectre160



Category: W.I.T.C.H.
Genre: F/M, cartoon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-10-23
Updated: 2010-03-14
Packaged: 2018-02-13 15:01:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 16,589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2154918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SeaSpectre160/pseuds/SeaSpectre160
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A world at war is brought to the Guardians' attention. Can they save this dimension and the new friends they've made? More importantly, can they figure out who to trust?</p><p>
  <img/>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Yllauras

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here it is, finally! I was supposed to post this at the beginning of summer, not the middle of October! Oh well, better late than never.
> 
> This takes place about two and a half years after the end of season 2, so Will, Cornelia, and Matt are 17, Caleb is 19, and Irma, Taranee, and Hay Lin are 16.
> 
> DISCLAIMER: I do not own W.i.t.c.h.. However, Radelia and Javiera are my characters, I own them.
> 
> PS: This is my first W.i.t.c.h. fic, please go easy on me.

There were several things Radelia had vowed never to do willingly, including: dress like a lady, keep quiet, wash someone's feet, and show any form of respect to a Moriunite. But desperate times called for desperate measures. Another promise she'd made to herself was to stick by her brother at all costs, even if it meant wearing a dress, working in the Moriunite palace – which included bathing the queen – and not complaining about it. She would keep _that_ promise until death. Should she fail, then death, by her own hand. The Moriunites would not conquer her. Every time she bathed Javiera, it was torture not to dunk that foul hag under the water and hold her there. Because if she did, Marikk would be lost to her – forever.

Now, as she poured the steaming, perfumed water over the Moriunite queen, she tried to be careful. A simple splash could wash away the paint that hid her blue skin, exposing her as a Nolimarian. She would be recognised as the enemy and killed, or worse, imprisoned. It was just a good thing that she’d been instructed to wear long gloves for this task, since the queen couldn’t stand the idea of having a ‘lowly servant’ touching her directly. "Be sure you get in between the toes," Javiera snapped. Oh, if only she could fix her fingers around that damn witch's throat!

Instead, Radelia could only mumble: "Yes, Your Highness" contemptuously through gritted teeth and obey. She took a brush, fingers clenched around the handle, and began to scrub the Moriunite queen's foot. Her hand was shaking with rage and resentment as she worked. With a grim smirk on the inside, she allowed one sharp, jagged edge along the side of the brush to scratch the sole of the heel. The Moriunite queen yelped and sat up, slapping Radelia with a very wet right hand.

That was all it took. Her sapphire-coloured complexion was visible to all. "Guards!" Javiera screeched, "Get in here! She's a Nolimarian!" Instantly, Radelia bolted, hoisting up her annoyingly long black skirt. When one guard stepped into her path, she responded with the dagger hidden up her sleeve. Anyone else who tried to hinder her progress was met with the same fate. She finally made it to the door; pushing it open, Radelia streaked out and into the woods. The angry shouts of guards behind her pumped adrenaline through her system as she dodged trees, bushes, and the occasional arrow whizzing past her head.

In the forest, no mere Moriunite could catch her. Nolimar might have been the poorer of Yllauras' two nations, but they were the better warriors. They didn't need any fancy metal weapons or armour; they could fight with stone daggers and their own fists, and could vanish into the shadows within an instant. Radelia was a true Nolimarian warrior, despite being a girl. The elders had been enraged when they found out, but they'd had no choice besides letting her stay among the ranks, especially since all the rituals had been performed by then.

She'd almost lost all of her pursuers, but a few brutish soldiers refused to be shaken. Their heavy footfalls and loud breathing could still be heard. And they were getting closer and closer, very quickly.

* * *

In the temple of Candracar, the atmosphere was usually calm and serene. But today, it was tinged with dark concern. The Oracle, Althor, Luba, Halinor, and Tibor watched in the pool as the girl ran from her enemies. "With all the trouble Phobos has been causing," the Oracle stated, "We have not noticed the war in Yllauras."

"What shall we do, Oracle?" Halinor asked worriedly, "This conflict will not end without intervention."

"Indeed, Halinor. The Guardians must be sent to bring peace back to this realm. But until then…" He waved his hand and all in the temple watched as a fold appeared right in front of Radelia. The warrior girl was running too fast to stop; she plunged right through. "Now, her fate is in her own hands, until she finds the Guardians."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so this is more along the lines of a prologue, but the next chapter will be up and ready to go either tomorrow or next Saturday. And yes, I'm back to posting every Saturday. Yay!


	2. Meet the Guardians

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so here's the next bit! Sorry this is late, my internet hookup was screwed up.
> 
> Just so you know, this takes place when Will, Cornelia, and Matt are 17, Irma, Taranee, and Hay Lin are 16, and Caleb is 19.
> 
> DISCLAIMER: Me no own W.i.t.c.h. Simple as that.

_Friday, July 3 rd, 2009_

Radelia hit the ground hard. For some reason, she did not land on soft, mossy soil, but hard, pressed dirt. Strange smells and sounds surrounded her. She staggered to her feet and looked around. She was in some sort of alleyway – she'd hidden enough in Moriun to tell – but it wasn't like anywhere she'd ever been in Yllauras. The walls were made of some reddish type of stone, but each piece was perfectly shaped into a rectangular form, identical to all the others. She peeked outside the alley, only to see a street full of huge rolling piece of metal, like wagons without oxen or horses. People strolled by in strange clothes, oblivious to her presence. The ground was littered with bizarre objects, and a green metal box was set against the wall next to a peeling brown-painted metal door. It was filled almost to the point of overflowing with more of the stuff from the ground, and filled the air with a pungent odour.

A sudden creaking noise from behind caught Radelia's attention. She spun around to see a pale girl with long black pigtails coming out the door. The girl, probably only a few years younger than Radelia herself, gasped as she saw the Nolimarian. It suddenly struck Radelia that she must really stick out, wherever she was.

"Wha-" the girl stuttered, dropping the big, shiny black bag she was carrying, "Who are you?" Her eyes travelled to the bloody dagger still clenched in Radelia's hand. "Stay back!" She jumped into what Radelia assumed to be a fighting stance. "Don't come any closer!"

Radelia dropped the knife and slowly made her way towards the girl, keeping her hands in the air. "It's okay," she insisted, "I'm not here to hurt anyone. I just want to know where I am."

The girl relaxed a bit. "You're behind the Silver Dragon."

"Dragon? Where?" Radelia looked around. Dragons were a serious danger in Yllauras. They would emerge from their caves at sunset and search for any people or animals foolishly wandering out in the open. She'd personally seen one carrying off an old man.

The girl just stared at her as if she were mad. "Um, it's just the name of my family's restaurant. You're not from around here, are you?" Her eyes widened. "Are you even from Earth?"

Radelia had never heard of a place called Earth in her entire life. Was it possible that she'd wound up in an alternate world, like the ones Grandmother Dolani told the little ones about in her stories at campfire gatherings? "I… don't think so. Where in Yllauras _is_ Earth?"

"I don't think I've ever heard of Yllauras before." The girl's face brightened suddenly. "But maybe my grandma has!" She opened the door even wider, motioning for Radelia to follow her in. "Come on, follow me. But don't say a word until we're downstairs, okay?" Radelia wasn't too keen on simply following a strange girl into an unknown building, but what good would it do her to refuse? It wasn't like she knew her way around this place. She picked up and resheathed her bone-handled dagger – she wouldn't go anywhere without it – and followed the girl.

Inside, several people were working in a kitchen of sorts, preparing several dishes that Radelia couldn't identify. They gave her many confused glances as the girl dragged her to another door, a goofy grin on her face. A pair of identical old women hurried over. "Hi, Grandma," the girl greeted them, "Hi, Aunt Mira."

"Hay Lin, who is this?" one of them asked.

"Oh, she's just a friend of mine. Hey, can we talk with you for a minute? _Downstairs_?"

The old women smiled, and followed Radelia and the girl, Hay Lin, through the door and down a narrow flight of stairs. What if it was a trap? Generally a stairwell like this led to a dungeon or cellar. Radelia moved her hand closer to her apron, where her dagger rested in the pocket.

The stairs ended in some sort of room, where two boys and four girls her age were lounging about. "Hey, guys!" Hay Lin chirped, "We've got a visitor." All of them looked at Radelia, confused. Radelia noted that all of them looked like Moriunites. Her fingertips brushed against the handle of her dagger. "This is… um…" She leaned over to Radelia. "What's your name again?"

“Radelia."

"Radelia! Right! Guys, meet Radelia." A chorus of 'hi's came from the group. "She's not exactly from around here, I mean, she hasn't ever heard of Earth." Radelia surveyed each one of them. A dark-haired, dark-skinned girl had been poring over a book. Radelia frowned. Only Moriunites bothered to read in their spare time. Hell, Radelia didn't even know _how_ to read. A girl with long golden tresses was sitting next to the boy with brown hair. The two of them had their arms around each other. A girl with big blue eyes and light brown hair was stretched out on a piece of bed-like furniture. And lastly, a couple lay on the floor in front of them. The girl had shocking red hair, and the boy's mop was black.

The redhead pointed to a sort of box in the corner, and a strange noise that had been filling the room died down. She stood up and walked over, extending her hand. "I'm Will," she introduced herself, "And this is Irma, Taranee, Cornelia, Caleb, and Matt." Radelia nodded to each of them, and grasped Will's hand. Apparently it was some sort of gesture of greeting. "So if you're not from Earth, where _are_ you from?"

Radelia wasn't sure if she could trust these people, but it wasn't like she had any other options. These strange people seemed oddly casual about the existence of other worlds, something she was still trying to come to terms with. Perhaps they knew how to get her home. "Yllauras," she replied.

"Yll-what now?"

"Yllauras is a forested dimension," one of the older women explained, "Last time I checked, it was pretty peaceful."

"But with all the trouble Phobos has been causing," her twin continued, "That could have changed without our noticing."

"It has," Radelia announced, "We've been at war since I was a little girl. The Moriunites are trying to conquer and enslave my people, the Nolimarians. I was in disguise in the palace, but today I was discovered. I was on the run, and wound up here. My brother Marikk is a prisoner in the palace, and there is supposedly some sort of magical jewel hidden there that supposedly contains the very essence of Yllauras."

"Like a Heart?" Taranee, the girl with the book, asked.

"That's what the elders call it. The Heart of Yllauras. The legends say that whoever possesses it will wield unbelievable power. But it has been missing for generations."

"We'll help you," Will volunteered.

"We don't need any help. We Nolimarians can handle the Moriunites all on our own."

"But it's our job to keep the balance within the universe. We're called the Guardians, the chosen protectors of all life. Like it or not, you're getting our help." Her brown eyes narrowed.

Radelia gritted her teeth. Her people were an independent tribe that relied solely its own members, not some outsiders with attitude. These kids had no business in Yllauras.

"And besides," Irma – the blue-eyed one – added, "You can't stop us from helping. Once we open the gateway to your world, we can just jump in after you." Cornelia nodded, tossing her gold hair over her shoulder and linking her arm with Caleb's.

Radelia huffed. "Fine. But you'll see, we can handle ourselves just fine without you."

* * *

Irma sat up and cracked her knuckles. Things had just been too dull ever since Nerissa, Phobos, and Cedric had been taken down. She knew that was actually a good thing, that there wasn't anyone trying to take over the universe, but she missed going Guardian and kicking ass. "What are we waiting for?" she cried, "Let's go already!"

"Hang on, I gotta call my mom first," Taranee interrupted, pulling her cell phone out of her pocket, "We don't know how long this will take." She dialled and held it up to her ear. "Hey, Mom. I'm sleeping over at Hay Lin's tonight, okay?"

The girl from Yllauras, Radelia, leaned over and whispered loudly in Will's ear. "Who's she talking to? Nobody's there."

"It's called a cell phone," Matt explained, "Long-distance communication device."

"Don't feel too bad," Caleb added, "I'm not from this world, either. First time I saw a phone, I tried to eat it."

"It's true," Cornelia confirmed.

Taranee hung up. "It's all set up," she announced, "We should create some Astral Drops, just in case."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Hay Lin asked her, "You know they only _look_ like us, right?"

"Don't worry about it," Yan Lin waved her granddaughter's comment aside, "Mira and I can cover for you."

"And what about me?" Matt asked, "I don't think that alibi's gonna work."

"Just say he's bunking with me," Caleb replied, "It's not like _my_ family's clueless."

"Okay," Will declared, pulling out the Heart of Candracar. "Spord Lartsa!" There was a flash of pink light, and soon the Guardians each had a perfect double standing right next to them. "And now… GUARDIANS UNITE!" Irma threw her arms over her head as the transformation began. She could do it a hundred times, and still never get tired of the sweet feeling of the power of water surging through her.

"WATER!”

“FIRE!”

“EARTH!”

“AIR!”

QUINTESSENCE!”

Radelia's eyes were huge as she saw the Guardians, fully powered up and ready for battle, standing there. Irma giggled and twirled a little stream of water around. "Get used to it," she stated, "We do this all the time." Mostly just to show off, she twirled the water even faster, until it spun out of control and hit Cornelia.

"Hey!" the Earth Guardian cried, "Irma, I just shampooed and conditioned my hair this morning! You've completely ruined it!"

"It's just water," Radelia commented, "Why is that a problem?"

" _He-llo_! My hair will get _frizzy_!"

"I thought you people just claimed you could help. A fighter who is preoccupied with something as trivial as frizzy hair isn't even a fighter at all."

Cornelia got right up in Radelia's face. "You suggesting I'm useless?" she snapped, "I can prove you wrong, right here, right now!" Despite the fact that Cornelia was now about a head taller, Radelia didn't so much as flinch. She’d killed bigger.

Will carefully shoved her way between the two of them. "Enough," she insisted, "The last thing we need is a stupid argument to mess things up, alright?" Cornelia and Radelia glared at each other, but grudgingly nodded. "Now let's go." She held up the Heart, about to open a fold, but stopped. "Uh… Where _is_ Yllauras, exactly?"

Yan Lin smiled. "Perhaps Mira or I should open the fold this one time," she suggested. Mira lifted one finger and traced it through the air, a fold training behind it. Radelia was again staring in awe, so Irma had to half-shove her through the opening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okey-dokey, see you next time!


	3. Welcome to Yllauras

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so here's the next chapter! You might see a few more updates, since this is one of the only two in-progress stories that isn't on hiatus.
> 
> PS: For those who don't know, morningstars are spiky-ball-and-chain weapons used by knights in medieval Europe, but they're a little on the small side. Of course, that just means the points are longer and pointier.
> 
> DISCLAIMER: I do not own W.i.t.c.h.

When she stepped out, Irma was nearly impaled by an arrow whizzing past her head. "Whoa!" she gasped, "What the hell?! This place seriously needs a new welcoming committee!" Taranee threw up a flame shield to protect them and allow them to look around.

They were in the middle of some rough, muddy wasteland. People were fighting everywhere. Blue-skinned warriors used short daggers, bows and arrows, and spears, while more human-like fighters in various amounts of heavy-looking metal armour wielded large swords, morningstars, and shields. "Another battle!" Radelia cried, "I have to help!" She started towards one of the fallen warriors, but was impeded by Taranee's fiery wall. "Lower this barrier!" she commanded.

"Wait!" Hay Lin insisted, "Who's who? I don't want to start attacking the good guys by mistake!"

Radelia pointed to the battlefield. "The ones with the blue skin are my people! The others are those damn Moriunites!"

Taranee dispersed the shield, and the Guardians charged into battle. Irma gathered a large bubble of water before firing it in a powerful jet, washing away several Moriunite soldiers. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see her friends at work. Her fellow Guardians and Matt – now in his Shagon form – flew around using their powers to full extent, while Caleb had picked up a sword from a dead Moriunite and was making short work of the enemy. As for Radelia, she'd grabbed up a bow and a quiver of arrows and begun killing Moriunites with one shot each. Speaking of arrows, the Nolimarians seemed to have realised they were on the same side, and had stopped shooting at them.

A large rumbling noise was heard, and Irma saw several huge catapults rolling up to the edge of a cliff not too far off in the distance. One of them hurled a boulder about as wide as Irma was tall. The rock flew through the air, about to come crashing down, when Cornelia managed to stop it. It just hovered in the air, taking all of her telekinetic ability and power over earth to hold it in place. Nolimarians, stunned at first, scrambled out from underneath it before she let it fall.

Irma was so distracted by Cornelia's problems that she didn't see the next boulder coming until it was too late. She tried to fly out of the way, but it clipped her left shoulder and sent her spiralling to the ground.

She felt a hand grab said shoulder and roughly turn her over. A Moriunite soldier stood over her, ready to plunge his sword into her stomach. She flinched and squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the blade, but nothing happened.

Irma opened one eye, then the other. The soldier had frozen, his eyes – which were all she could see through the helmet – wide. Irma didn't know why he'd stopped, but she didn't care. She just wanted that sword _away_ from her. She raised her right arm and shot a jet of water at him, blasting him backwards.

"Irma!" she heard Hay Lin call, "Are you okay?"

"Peachy!" Irma shouted back, getting up and rubbing her sore shoulder.

Even with the Guardians' assistance, the Moriunites were still winning. They were overwhelming the Nolimarians with sheer numbers. For every man Radelia shot down, two more would charge forward. Eventually, a low, mournful bellow echoed across the battlefield, and all the Nolimarians ran into the nearby forest. Irma started after them, but someone grabbed both her arms and clapped a hand over her mouth.

"Do not struggle," a smooth voice whispered in her ear, "Do as we say, and no harm will come to you."

* * *

Caleb clutched at his arm as he ran. One of the Nolimarian arrows had just barely missed its target and grazed him. Several warriors running by shoved past him, as if he wasn't there at all.

Radelia suddenly appeared next to him. Sweat had started to wash away the pasty paint on her face, and her sky blue skin was becoming far more pronounced. "Come on," she insisted, "Warrior Chief Talmar wants to talk with you and your friends. He believes you're Moriunite spies, and that you're not really from some other world. You'd better convince him you are if you plan on still being alive five minutes from now."

Caleb gulped and followed her over to a lighter blue-skinned warrior with scars covering his face. Will, Matt, Taranee, Cornelia, and Hay Lin were already there.

Talmar glared at each one of them before raising one hand. Everyone immediately stopped right where they stood. "I will not take a single step further," the chief announced, "until we know exactly what these outsiders are doing here. Radelia claims that she has been to another world." Most of the warriors scoffed, rolling their eyes.

"This is why women aren't fighters," one whispered to a nearby comrade.

"These outsiders, she says, are from this other realm." He turned to Caleb. "Is this true?"

Caleb, a little startled at being put in the spotlight like that, turned from facing Talmar to addressing the crowd. "Yeah," he replied, "I'm from the world of Meridian, but everyone else comes from Earth. Radelia turned up there, and we agreed to help you guys in any way possible."

"Very well. We Nolimarians do not generally accept help, especially from those foreign to us. But with the way the enemy has been prevailing in battle, and from what we have seen you do, we are willing to accept your assistance." He extended his hand. "As their leader, I request that you join us in our war meetings."

"Actually, I'm not the leader, Will is."

Will landed next to them. "Well, actually, we sort of come up with our strategies as a group," she admitted. Hay Lin, Matt, Taranee, and Cornelia all nodded in agreement.

Will and Talmar shook hands. "Fine. Then I will expect all six of you to participate. Perhaps with new cultures coming into play, we may be able to come up with a strategy that the Moriunites will never expect."

"Actually, there are seven of us. Me, Matt, Taranee, Caleb, Cornelia, Hay Lin, and…" She glanced around. "Wait, where's Irma?"

"I saw her on the battlefield when the retreat sounded," Matt stated, "She was barely a second behind us."

"Sometimes a second's all it takes for a Moriunite to slay his opponent," Radelia told them grimly, "She could've fallen right after you looked away."

Hay Lin rose into the air. "I'm going back to look for her," she stated before vanishing.

Cornelia squeezed Caleb's hand. "You don't think Irma could be…" she whispered.

Caleb wrapped his arms around her shoulders. "No," he assured her, "Irma's tough. She can't be taken down just like that."

"I hope not."

* * *

Many years ago, Yllauras was a peaceful world. Then the Moriunite king was killed by those savage Nolimarians, and the war began. Tallon knew there were always innocent people on both sides – a decent soul had nothing to do with nationality – but anyone who dared try and harm his people would meet his sword, no exceptions.

That is, until now. The winged girl took two men to hold her down. She didn't make a sound, but wouldn't stop struggling. She was beautiful, that was certain, and more importantly, she couldn't be a Nolimarian. Her skin tone was much closer to that of the average Moriunite, if just a bit paler. So why did she fight for the enemy's side? He'd spared her life for the sole purpose of answering that question. If she and her friends had simply been tricked or forced to fight their own people, perhaps he could help them.

Kemlen, his scrawny second-in-command, had bound the girl's wrists, just to be safe. He held her left arm firmly in his grasp. Perhaps a little bit too firmly. Tallon was proud of his battalion's abilities in battle, but their honour was something to be questioned, especially Kemlen's.

"Ow!" the girl yelped as Kemlen twisted her arm, "Lay off, you big ape!"

Kemlen responded by pulling out his broadsword. "The prince commanded you to be silent, whore," he growled.

"Enough, General Kemlen," Tallon ordered, "You are out of line. Besides, we are far enough away that calling for help will not do her any good. Put away your sword." Kemlen only glared at the girl. “Kemlen!" Grumbling, the officer reluctantly resheathed his weapon.

"Alright, what do you want?" the girl snapped.

"Your name will be an excellent place to start. I cannot ask you questions if I do not know your name."

She was silent for a few seconds. "Irma."

"Very well, Irma. Why are you fighting against your own nation?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You are clearly a Moriunite, yet you took the side of the Nolimarians. What did they do to make you turn?"

"I'm not a Moriunite. I'm not even from Yllauras. A Nolimarian named Radelia accidentally wound up in my world running from your goons, and we decided to help her." So she was from another world. Sage Elnar's prophecy had been correct.

"Were you and your friends aware that the Nolimarians are the reason Moriun has lost so many of its subjects?"

"Well, logically, yeah. I mean, it's not like you're at war with anyone else."

"I mean, that they started this war. They attacked and murdered the king for no reason!"

"What? You've got your facts, mixed up, buddy! You guys attacked first and enslaved most of 'em!"

Tallon was so angered at her statement that he was shaking. How could anyone, even the enemy – yes, she was the enemy, he reminded himself – question the honour of his nation? "Lies. I would never stand for something like that. The Moriunites are the victims in this war!"

Irma closed her eyes, as if concentrating, then snapped them back open. "My friends know I'm gone," she declared, "And they've seen the damage you guys have done."

Tallon sighed. "I am not surprised that we have made a negative impact on the innocent Nolimarian civilians, but there is nothing I can do about that. I cannot allow my people to be pushed aside." He turned and continued walking, but her next words stopped him cold.

"There are only a few Nolimarian tribes left, and they're dying out quickly. Your people are fine. Tell me, if you're so innocent, how can you justify your own nation hurting all those innocent people?"

* * *

Irma smirked as her question stopped the Moriunite prince in his tracks. He seemed pretty big on honour, but she wanted him to prove it. She doubted she'd be able to justify all the suffering his people had caused.

The prince turned, slowly, and stared at her. His grey eyes glimmered with confusion. Had she actually gotten through to him? Could she do the same with him as Hay Lin had done with Raythor?

Before the prince could reply, his general, Kemlen, hissed at her: "You dare ask our prince to question his country? You have no right to-"

"It is fine, Kemlen," the prince interrupted, "She is insistent, but she really just needs a little proof in order for her to truly understand our position. We shall take her to the nearest peasant village, and let her see for herself just how much our people are suffering."

His people? She'd see the Nolimarians' plight through Taranee's telepathy. There were barely any of them left, living in ramshackle huts. She'd seen Radelia, out of her disguise. Her blue skin was much more prominent now that she'd washed off that paint. On each side of her face was a pair of dark red-brown stripes. She wore a pair of threadbare, baggy pants and a piece of ratty fabric tied around her upper torso to make a sort of shirt. Everything about her was generally dark, except for the bright, diamond-shaped, orange jewel prism hanging around her neck by a forest green ribbon. It seemed to have an aura of its own, brightening up her otherwise drab appearance.

Kemlen grunted and shoved Irma along, this time towards several small, wispy columns of smoke rising from the horizon.

* * *

The village was much more pitiful than she'd expected. The road was made of hard-packed dirt, but dust still blew up with every little breeze. The huts were made of rotten wood planks, leaving several gaping holes in the walls and roofs. The entire scene looked like it was on a black-and-white TV; there was practically no colour there at all. Worst of all was the condition of the inhabitants. They looked as if they hadn't bathed in years – which was probably true – their hair was tangled and matted with dirt and the occasional twig, their faces had grime in every wrinkle and crevice, they dressed in filthy rags, and they walked around like the living dead. It was as if they'd all given up on life completely, the way they carried themselves.

It was a little difficult to tell, but Irma couldn't see any men there. No doubt they'd been forcibly enlisted into the Moriunite army and killed in battle. If she remembered her history lessons right, the term for that was 'conscription'. She was pretty sure that was it, because she’d actually paid attention in that lesson because of how it reminded her of Meridian under Phobos’s rule.

Only the little children took notice as Irma and her captors arrived. They crowded around, staring at her. Eventually their mothers, older sisters, or whoever was looking after them became aware of the visitors and came forward, too. One woman who looked to be about forty – but in her condition, she could've been as young as twenty – was the first to speak. "Who is she, Tallon?" Clearly the prince, Tallon, had been there plenty of times before, and they were all familiar enough with him to call him by his name.

"Her name is Irma," Tallon replied, "She is one of the alien beings from the prophecy." Gasps and murmurs arose from the crowd.

Irma couldn't help but wonder: _'What prophecy?'_

One old woman placed her wrinkly hands on Irma's shoulders. "Bless you, child," she stated, "You and the others will bring us up out of our poverty and out of this wretched war."

"Momma," one skeletal little boy asked in a surprisingly loud voice, "Why's she tied up?"

A few suspicious glances were tossed at Tallon at this remark. The prince nodded to Kemlen, who grumbled, pulled out a small knife, and cut at the ropes around Irma's wrists. Irma gladly stretched her arms and looked over at the prince as he pulled off his helmet.

Her jaw nearly dropped. Tallon had to be one of the sexiest guys she'd ever seen! His complexion was the colour of tanned leather, smooth and flawless, except for a small scar on the outside of his left eye. His hair was raven black, streaked with crimson. And there was something in his slate grey eyes, something she hadn't noticed before: a look of wisdom, as well as the sorrow of someone who'd seen too much darkness in their lifetime. Irma didn't know how she understood that so quickly. She wasn't exactly the deep one in the group. But something about Tallon just seemed to speak to her.

"As you can clearly see," the prince told her, snapping Irma out of her daydreaming, "the Nolimarians are not the only ones who ware suffering. You and your friends have been misled." Irma immediately saw what he was trying to do. He wanted to make her think the Nolimarians were the villains in this war. She needed to talk to Taranee and the others – now.

"Tallon," she stated, "I have to speak with the others about this before I start making any decisions or taking sides."

"If you think we will take you back to the Nolimarians," Tallon responded, "You are sorely mistaken."

"You don't have to. We can communicate through our minds. All you guys gotta do is shut your traps so I can concentrate." A few of Tallon's foot soldiers muttered amongst themselves, something about disrespect, no doubt. Irma ignored them, shut her eyes, and let her mind reach out, calling to Taranee. _'Taranee?'_

 _'Irma? What's going on?'_ Taranee's voice echoed through her head.

 _'The Moriunite prince is trying to make me fight on their side. We're at some village right now. Take a look.'_ She focused on her surroundings, creating a mental image, so that Taranee could see what she'd seen. Hay Lin's horrified gasp could be heard, along with Will's and Cornelia's. Evidently all the Guardians were listening. _'I know. It looks like both sides have it just as bad in this fucking war. And what's more, Tallon's got a completely different story of how this whole mess started.'_

 _'Who's Tallon?'_ Hay Lin asked.

_'The prince.'_

_'Is he cute?'_

_'Very. But the thing is, he says the Nolimarians just attacked his people first, and for no goddamn reason!'_

_'WHAT?'_ Will, Taranee, Cornelia, and Hay Lin all mentally screamed.

 _'It's not true!'_ Cornelia insisted, _'You can't believe a word he says, Irma!'_

 _'Or maybe… you can,'_ Will speculated.

 **_'_ ** _Ex- **cuse** me?'_

_'Pretend to buy it, and tell him we've changed sides, too. It'll give you the perfect opportunity to look for Radelia's brother Marikk. I mean, Tallon's the prince, right? Getting on his good side means access to the palace, and therefore, the palace dungeons. Meanwhile, we'll gather some Nolimarians and stage a small assault someplace else as a distraction. As soon as Marikk's free, you let us know, we pull back, and you two'll be out by the time all the fighters are back at the palace.'_

_'All right, then. I just wish I didn't have to lie to Tallon. I think he really believes he's doing the right thing.'_

_'Well, don't let him get to your head,'_ Cornelia rudely reminded her.

_'I won't, Corny. Wish me luck.'_

Irma opened her eyes again. Tallon, the soldiers, and the villagers were all staring at her now. "We're in," she lied, "They plan on escaping the Nolimarian camp tonight and meeting us at the battlefield we were just at."

Tallon nodded seriously. "Very well. But for now we should get to the palace. My mother, the queen, will be expecting me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's the conclusion of another thrilling chapter! Well, I hope it was thrilling. Read and Review! It makes me very happy!
> 
> EDIT 2017/03/21: A sketch of [Prince Tallon](http://orig12.deviantart.net/55a5/f/2015/243/1/2/tallon_by_aquawraith-d97x7p7.jpg).


	4. The Truth of the War

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, sorry of the late update! Christmas break was chaotic, and exams week's coming up. Not that I have to worry about exams. I'm in the International Baccalaureat program (for those who don't know, it's an advanced educational program used all over the world) and we don't get regular exams. Granted, when mine come, I won't be as relaxed as I am now.
> 
> Anyway, here's the update!
> 
> DISCLAIMER: I own Elnar, Javiera, Tallon, Radelia, Talmar, Marikk, Gareth, Kemlen, and Gwendalle. Nothing else.

Sage Elnar had been under the crown's employment for many decades before he had the greatest vision of history. He saw a gateway to another world opening, and seven people emerging from it: six with extraordinary mystical powers, and a brave, battle-hardened warrior. He saw them fighting for the innocent, fighting to defeat the enemy.

This was exactly what he told Javiera, the self-pronounced all-mighty queen of Moriun. She'd been delighted to hear that these outsiders would assist her in victory.

But as usual, Elnar had only told her the parts she'd _wanted_ to hear. That was his secret to staying under her employment, not to mention staying alive. There was more to all his visions.

He was in his study when the young prince knocked. Elnar smiled. He knew Tallon wasn't alone. One of the girls from the other world was with him, the one with the power over water. "You may enter," he told them. Tallon and Irma pushed their way through the worn wooden door.

"Elnar, I thought you might want to meet Irma. She is-"

"The Guardian of Water, yes," Elnar interrupted, "I know all about you and your friends, my dear. You are the force that will end this war for us."

Irma looked rather uncomfortable with her situation. Reaching briefly into her mind, Elnar saw confusion; deep, twisting confusion. He sensed a romantic interest between her and Tallon, and guilt over her emotions. This could be the perfect opportunity for him to help the prince finally see the truth.

"My prince, I must speak with the Guardian for a couple moments. Alone." Tallon nodded and stepped back out. The echo of his footsteps could be heard as he climbed back up the stone stairs. "Now, young lady, years ago, I prophesised that you and your friends would fight in this war, and win, but not for the Moriunite Queen. The Nolimarians shall be victorious, and _all_ of Yllauras shall benefit from this."

"But…" Irma stammered, "I thought you just said you guys would win."

"Indeed. But as with all my prophecies, I only tell the queen what she _wants_ to hear, ever since she took the throne. After all, if I were to foretell something she disliked, she would have me executed immediately. You see, everyone in Moriun believes that the people of Nolimar assassinated her husband and predecessor, King Saiotu, and the rest of their children. But in truth, Javiera was the one to end their lives. She murdered the king to gain power for herself, and the deaths of her children were merely to ensure that they would not attempt to avenge their father, for she had committed the deed in front of them. Tallon was the only one to be spared because he was too young to comprehend what she'd done, or to remember it at all later in life."

Irma gasped. "So she's the one behind this whole damn war!"

"Yes, and the entire world of Yllauras is suffering because of it. Only the extremely wealthy Moriunites are either benefited or untouched by this war. The only hope we have is you Guardians, and the Heart."

"The Heart? You mean the Heart of Yllauras? Radelia, the Nolimarian who brought us here, said it was supposed to be hidden somewhere in the palace!"

Elnar shook his head sadly. "Alas, it is not. This castle has been searched from top to bottom. The Heart is not here. It must still be out there, but even a sorcerer of my power cannot find it."

* * *

Cornelia huffed impatiently. "I can't believe we're actually going through with this," she hissed, "How do we know if we can trust these people?"

"Relax, Cornelia," Hay Lin whispered back, "Radelia and her friends won't let anything happen to us."

"I'm not talking about to Nolimarians, I'm talking about the Moriunites. What if they attack us?"

"We just have to play it cool and hope that they don't," Will replied, "Besides, _we're_ the ones with the surprise attack ready."

They reached the battlefield soon enough, and Cornelia got her first real glimpse of the area. During the fight, she'd been a little too preoccupied flinging rocks and people to notice her surroundings. She'd used several nearby trees as weapons of sorts, but hadn't paid attention to how badly damaged they were. Branches had been snapped off, roots were trampled and exposed, axes and swords and arrows remained stuck in the bark, and scorch marks from the flaming arrows covered everything. Cornelia's heart ached. As the Guardian of Earth, she could feel the pain of nature, and it was in absolute agony.

"Didn't this place used to be sacred to the Nolimarians?" she asked out loud.

"Yeah," Matt replied darkly, "Radelia mentioned it used to be the place where they buried their dead for centuries."

"Guys, look!" Caleb announced, pointing. Several small balls of fire seemed to be approaching from afar. "Torches. They're here, and it looks like a lot of them. Remember, we can't let any of them get away. If so much as one messenger makes it back to the palace, Irma's cover will be blown."

As the Moriunites drew closer, Cornelia could just barely hear the rustling of the Nolimarians getting into place. She was more than a little unsure of this. What if it didn't work? What if word got back to the palace before Irma had a chance to escape with Marikk?

Once all the Moriunite soldiers were within bow's reach, Radelia and her comrades loosed their arrows. They whizzed through the air by the dozens, hitting their targets with deadly accuracy. With a roar of surprise and outrage, the lead Moriunite ordered his remaining men to charge. The soldiers lifted their shields for protection and barrelled forward, their stout swords out front. Matt switched to his Shagon form, Caleb grabbed Cornelia's hand, and the six of them rose out of reach just in time.

Radelia was the first to leap out of the bushes, brandishing a sharp stone blade in each hand. Talmar and the other men were right behind her, screaming their bone-chilling war cry. Cornelia grimaced as a few met their deaths early in battle on the Moriunites' blades.

* * *

Radelia yanked upwards as he pulled her dagger out of the Moriunite footsoldier. He made a sputtering, coughing noise, his eyes wide, before falling. She'd long since lost count of how many of these monsters she'd slain, and felt no remorse. They'd ruined everything. They'd enslaved her people, destroyed their sacred lands, and taken away the last of her family.

The first time she'd killed one of them, it was when she was eight, and it'd been sort of an accident, but not one she regretted. They'd raided the village she'd been born and raised in, and one had been standing over her mother, sword raised, about to kill her. Radelia hadn't been thinking, but she'd picked up a rock, slightly larger than her fist, and hurled it at him. Her aim had turned out to be much better than expected. She'd struck him in the head, and he'd been dead before he'd hit the ground, but his sword had continued to fall as it'd left his hands. Radelia had lost her mother a mere second later. She vaguely remembered running over, shaking her, and getting no response. Marikk had shown up by her side seconds after, and hugged her tightly. He'd only been eleven.

Caught up in her reminiscing, Radelia didn't notice the soldier bearing down in her, deadly morningstar swinging towards her, until it was too late. She ducked, but it still grazed the side of her head.

Radelia fell to the muddy ground, slightly dazed. Her vision was a little fuzzy, but she could still see as the Moriunite reached down and ripped her mother's crystal necklace from her neck. "No!" she moaned. Caleb came out of nowhere, slicing the morningstar's chain with his stolen sword. The soldier pulled out his own, and the two of them crossed blades.

Then her pendant, hanging from its ribbon, which was clenched in the Moriunite's fist, just vanished in a flash of green. She, Caleb, and the soldier all gasped as it reappeared around her neck.

Caleb kicked the Moriunite back and helped Radelia stand up. "Guys!" he called, "I think I've just found the Heart!"

Will, who'd been busy zapping enemies with lightning bolts from her fingertips, gave him a surprised look. "What?" she exclaimed.

"Radelia's necklace! It teletransported right back to her!" He started pulling Radelia away from the fighting.

She struggled. "No!" she insisted, "I have to fight!"

Matt and Cornelia flew over and helped hold her back. "The Heart is the last thing we want in enemy hands," the blonde Guardian explained, "Keeping it safe means keeping you out of the battle."

"I can protect it myself!" Radelia jabbed her elbow into Caleb's gut, pulled on Cornelia's hair, and wrenched her arms free of Matt's grip. No one could stop her from fighting; it was her purpose, her passion, her way of life. It was the only way she knew of to keep her mother's spirit at peace.

* * *

Gareth had always known something was wrong with his father, Kemlen. He was cruel, lazy, and completely dishonourable. How he'd gotten to be the prince's right-hand man was a mystery to most. Gareth knew why, though. His father had done the queen a few 'favours'. It disgusted him that a nation once so honourable had been reduced to _this_. The only man living in the palace who shared his sense on honour was the prince himself. Not that he knew it. After all, Gareth was only a kitchen boy. The two of them had never really met, except maybe passing each other in the corridors every so often.

Speaking of which, he had to go and get some more grog from the palace cellar. Ever since the prophesised 'Guardians' had agreed to join Moriun, all the soldiers and noblemen had thrown a huge party. Gareth figured it would only be one hour before everyone was completely passed out, at the longest. About two thirds of the guests were already down. Maybe he should pretend to be ill tomorrow, just so he wouldn't have to be around during the hangover phase. But then there wouldn't be anyone around to protect Gwendalle. The soldiers often referred to her as their 'favourite serving wench' for a reason, and didn't seem to care that she was his betrothed.

He pulled out his rusty set of keys and got ready to unlock the heavy wooden door, but was surprised to find it slightly ajar. Gareth grabbed a torch and held it out in front of him defensively as he entered. While this passageway led to the alcohol storage, it also led to the dungeons, probably just so the guards usually on duty there – tonight they were at the party, confident that there was no danger of a breakout – could get drunk whenever they felt like it. The palace was built over a labyrinth of crisscrossing tunnels. It was easy to get lost, but Gareth had been down there several times, courtesy of several unnecessary parties. He knew its twists and turns like the back of his hand.

He wondered why anyone else would venture down there. Maybe one of the soldiers couldn't be bothered to wait for his grog, and had gone down to get it himself. Gareth supposed he had to find the man, although he didn't quite like the prospect of bumping unarmed into a drunken fighter wielding a heavy sword, among other weapons.

A creaking noise from the dungeon area caught his attention. It sounded distinctly like a cell door opening, but nobody was even supposed to be down there, except to refill the constantly depleting alcohol supply, of course, and that was _his_ job. Gareth gingerly made his was to the dungeons, holding his torch inexpertly like a weapon, ready to try and defend himself if necessary. Eventually, he spotted a random bucket of water and used it to put out the flame. The dungeons were always lit anyways, and he didn't want anyone to know he was coming.

Gareth crept down the dark passageway, stopping at the corners and peeking around it. One of the cells was indeed open. So, raising his torch like a club, although he'd never actually used a real one in his life before, he tiptoed over and looked inside.

His eyes widened in shock as he saw the Guardian, Irma, trying to loosen the shackles that held a Nolimarian in place. He knew it was her; he'd seen her when she was presented to the Queen earlier that evening. "It's okay, Marikk," she was saying, "I'm going to get you out of here. You're going to see your sister again."

The Nolimarian lifted his head, and Gareth got a better look at him. His scraggly black hair hung in tangles past his chin, the prison rags he wore were barely hanging off his bone-thin frame, he was covered in various scars, grime, and dried blood, and the expression in his eyes seemed devoid of any hope. Gareth felt a surge of sympathy for this prisoner. Did they even feed this man? Even if he was the enemy, these conditions were simply inhumane. This was why he usually steered clear of the dungeons.

Irma was finally able to free the Nolimarian, Marikk, and slung one of his arms over her shoulders. The two of them hobbled out, stopping in shock when they reached the doorway and saw Gareth standing there, half-hidden in the shadows. Irma's eyes widened. Gareth didn't know what to do. Should he immediately call the guards and stop them from escaping? Or should he let them go, and give this Marikk a chance at survival and seeing his sister again, whoever she was?

"Irma?" The prince's voice echoed through the tunnels, sounding very close. "Are you down here?" Gareth ducked into a shadowy corner so that he was out of sight when the prince, flanked by two somewhat sober guards, rounded the corner. Best not to get involved at all, he decided. Tallon stopped and stared at what he saw. "Irma, what are you doing?" One guard nearly crashed into Gareth's hiding place as he and his companion both rushed forward to grab the Guardian. Marikk was dismissively tossed back onto the floor of his cell like a piece of worthless scrap meat. Gareth was disgusted by this.

Irma struggled against the guards, but they held her tight. “Your mother lied to you, Tallon," she insisted, "She lied to everyone. The Nolimarians didn't kill your dad, she did. All she cares about is power."

"No! It cannot be true! _You_ are the one who is lying!"

"Why don't you ask Sage Elnar? He's the one who knows what's really going on in this kingdom." The guards started pulling her into an empty cell. "You have to know the truth!" The door was slammed in her face, but she continued to shout through its barred window. "You said you fought with honor! Prove it, and help those who need it!"

Tallon turned away, a pained determined expression on his face. His guards followed him. In the shadows, none of them noticed Gareth. He expected that. No one ever paid attention to the kitchen staff.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, this story is actually about halfway done! OMG, we're at the end of page 20 here, and the story is between 37 and 38 pages long!
> 
> Coming up next: Turning Point


	5. Turning Point

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, sorry this is late! Welcome to Chapter Four of The War of Yllauras!
> 
> DISCLAIMER: I do not own W.i.t.c.h. or any of its characters.
> 
> CLAIMER: I own Radelia, Ganhao, Talmar, Marikk, Gareth, Tallon, Gwendalle, Elnar, and all of Tallon's family. Plus, I also own Yllauras! I own an entire dimension! Awesome!

Hay Lin was practically holding her breath. They were already making too much noise for her liking. Okay, so her enhanced hearing might have something to do with that, but still, if one of the chunks of earth that Cornelia was moving were to drop, it would alert the Moriunite soldiers marching above them. They were heading to the palace for a rescue mission: to get Radelia back. She'd been captured in the melee, despite their warnings to stay back and keep the Heart of Yllauras safe. Cornelia was creating a tunnel as they went, and Taranee did her best to keep her fireballs burning for light, while simultaneously trying to contact Irma telepathically. Several Nolimarians walked with them, muttering. Hay Lin guessed that they had no idea that she could hear them quite clearly.

"This just proves we can't trust these people," one whispered to his comrade, "That battle was a suicide mission, and now we're off to rescue _Radelia_ , of all people. She was a fool to think she was a warrior. Women just aren't made to fight. And it's 'bout time these 'Guardian' girls learn that."

Hay Lin whipped around to face the man in question. "I heard that," she hissed, "And if you _ever_ consider that option again… well, just don't consider that option again!" She turned forward again, and saw that her friends were staring at her.

"What was _that_ about?" Caleb asked.

" _Someone_ was whispering about teaching us that 'women can't fight'."

Cornelia of course, abandoned her task and got right up in the guy's face. "Well, he'd better take it back," she threatened, "or he'll be up to his eyeballs in thorn bushes."

Chief Talmar and Will quickly got between the pair and pulled them apart. "Enough," Will insisted.

"Yes," Talmar added, "We can deal with this issue after this is all over. For now, we must move on with the rescue."

The warrior grunted. "I just don't see why we're risking it all for one fighter," he stated, "You always say that we can't ignore the needs of the nation for the needs of one. How's this any different?"

"Radelia possesses the Heart of Yllauras," Matt explained, "With it, the Moriunites can defeat your entire tribe in one blow. We need to get them both back. They can't simply take it from her by force. Its magic won't allow that. That's the one advantage we have."

"But either way," Will continued, "We still need to have her back with us safe and sound. So let's cut the chatter and keep moving."

Taranee suddenly gasped. "Irma!" she cried, "Guys, she's trying to contact us!"

Hay Lin closed her eyes. _"Guys, can you hear me?"_ Irma sounded panicked.

" _We can hear you just fine, Irma,"_ Will assured her, _"What's going on? Did you find Marikk?"_

" _The bust-out was a total bust. I got caught. Now **I** need someone to break **me** out!"_

" _Why can't you do it yourself?"_

" _The cell's too sturdy to do anything from the inside, and no guards have come down, so I can't make 'em go mind-slave! How're things on your end?"_

" _Dismal,"_ Cornelia replied, _"We lost Radelia. You're not gonna believe this, but her necklace is the Heart of Yllauras!"_

" _Say **what**?"_

" _Yeah,"_ Hay Lin added, _"Caleb saw it teletransport back to her after some soldier snatched it. I mean, what does that besides a mystic Heart?"_

"What's happening?" Caleb interrupted.

"Irma's been captured," Cornelia reported, "So any chance of inside help is pretty much shot."

" _Actually, there's one other guy who might be able to help. He's the palace magician, and he's definitely on our side. They call him Sage Elnar. Maybe if – wait, someone's coming."_

* * *

Kemlen was pleased. He'd uncovered the treachery of the Guardians, and captured the Heart of Yllauras, all in one glorious battle. The girl in question was slung over his shoulder, unconscious. She hadn't been easy; it'd taken half a dozen soldiers at once to restrain her. He wouldn't mention that part to the Her Royal Majesty, though. He didn't want anyone to know that it'd taken so many men just to hold down a mere _woman_ , especially not a Nolimarian one.

When he walked into the Queen's regal throne room, Kemlen deposited the girl at the foot of Her Highness' throne. Queen Javiera looked down at his 'gift' with disdain. "What is _that_ , Commander?"

"My Noble Lady, Divine ruler of Moriun and soon all of Yllauras, I present to you… the Heart of Yllauras."

Her eyes widened. "The Heart?" she gasped.

"Yes, the jewel pendant on her neck. We have tried to remove it, but it returns to her every time. I do recall Sage Elnar mentioning such as being a trait of the mystic heart. So I brought you the entire package, Your Greatness."

Divine Javiera stood up, descended the staircase that led from her regal throne, and prodded the girl with her Royal Sceptre. "But a Nolimarian? One would think the Heart of Yllauras would choose a worthier host."

Kemlen knelt even lower. "Indeed, only You, my Queen, are worthy of such great and unimaginable power."

"Indeed, We are. Send for the Sage Elnar. He will know how to get it away from her."

* * *

"Elnar?" Tallon demanded, rapping on the old wooden door, "Elnar, we need to talk!" He was furious. Not only had Irma betrayed him, but so had the all Guardians, the only hope for his people. How would he tell the villagers that their chosen heroes had been spies for the enemy? He'd thought he could trust her. He really had. Tallon knew he should simply ignore everything Irma had said, but her last words shouted to him as he walked away from her cell had intrigued his curiosity.

The elderly sage eventually pulled the door open. "Yes, Tallon?"

Tallon strode right in. "Irma attempted to free a prisoner of war. She told me to speak with you about what happened to my father."

"Ah, that."

"Aren't you curious to know why I bothered to listen to her after her betrayal?"

"Of course not. I already know. You cannot help yourself; your curiosity compels you to find the answers to unanswered questions." Tallon stared at him. "I have known you since your childhood, all your traits and all aspects of your personality are familiar to me, and fairly simple to read."

Tallon decided not to go off in that direction, preferring to stay on subject. "She told me my mother is the one who killed him, and that she heard it from you. I need to know the truth." He crossed his arms, letting the old man know he wanted answers.

"I should have known you would find out eventually, and that there would come a time where such knowledge would be essential. Yes, it is true. I was there when it happened." He bent over to reach something on his bottom shelf, and pulled out a dusty scroll. "Here." He shoved it into Tallon's hands. "Read this. It contains the sad truth you seek."

Tallon unfurled the yellowing parchment. On it was a short paragraph in slanted handwriting and reddish brown ink:

_My dear Tallon,_

_I write this knowing that my life is soon coming to an end. I pray, my son, that by the time you read this, it won't be too late for the sake of our kingdom, your kingdom. Your mother, Javiera, has committed the worst form of treachery as an attempt on my life in her quest for power, an attempt which I fear will be successful within a few moments. I can only assume that Javiera will allow only you to live because of your young age. It is your duty to rule Moriun upon your sixteenth birthday, as it is my final wish that you are crowned king when you come of age. No new law that Javiera may pass can refute this old ruler's dying request. Know that I love you, and I have faith in you to lead your people with honour and benevolence._

_Your father,_

_King Saiotu_

The paper fell from Tallon's trembling fingertips. How could this be? All his life, he'd believed that his father's death had been the work of some murderous Nolimarian. Yet here it was, hard proof that it'd been all a lie. So what had really started the war that'd taken so many lives for the past thirteen years? Was it really nothing but a quest for control over the world?

"I see you are confused," Sage Elnar observed, "Perhaps this will convince you of the truth. It is one of my memories, as I was forced to watch the horrible scene." He gestured for Tallon to come over by his large brass cauldron. Tallon did so and glanced at the simmering, steamy water within. Elnar rummaged through the numerous crystal vials on his shelves, finally pulling out one containing an orange powder, and tossing a small pinch of said powder, muttering strange words under his breath.

The torchlight suddenly changed colour, filling the air with a reddish haze, along with the extra steam that boiled up out of the cauldron. Elnar waved his hand over it, and the surface cleared of mist. Swirling colours and shapes appeared in the water, eventually forming into an image. Tallon saw his own mother, looking a decade or so younger, standing next to a man he recognised from portraits as his father, the late king. They seemed to be having a heated argument about something, while a group of five children, ranging from their toddler years to preteens, huddled together to the side. He realised that the smallest, a little boy clinging to the eldest girl, had to be him, with his brothers and sisters. He only knew them by name: Dallen, Rasha, Zalina, and Veron. The image of his mother suddenly pulled a heavily jewelled knife out of nowhere and drove it into her husband's chest. A pair of guards, whom Tallon hadn't noticed before, ran forward and tried to grab the king, but he ducked away and ran out of the room. Javiera said something to them – although Tallon could see the scene clearly, there was no sound – and they followed him out, presumably to finish the job. Then she turned to the children. Tallon heard their screams this time, but only in his mind. Dallen looked enraged, while Rasha and Zalina clutched the little ones tightly.

_BAM! BAM! BAM!_

A pair of guards burst in. The red light vanished and the fog dissipated as one of them grabbed Elnar by the arm. "What is the meaning of this?" Tallon demanded immediately, "Explain yourselves!"

"Orders from the Queen," one complied, "The Heart of Yllauras has been found, and the Sage is needed to remove it from the girl it's connected to." They began to pull Elnar away.

"Remember, Tallon," he called, "honour and benevolence!" Then he was gone, leaving the prince standing there, alone.

He'd witnessed little snippets of that scene before, in childhood nightmares. When he'd told Javiera about them, she'd said that a Nolimarian witch doctor must have planted them in his mind in an effort to turn him against her. As a child, of course, he'd believed her lies, all of them.

Tallon grabbed his father's letter up from the floor and read it over again. Now that he thought about it, the ink used looked horribly like dried blood. His father must've gotten away for a short while after being stabbed to write it, with whatever was available. Tallon remembered something his history tutor had taught him about how past rulers would write their final will and testament in their own blood, to make it absolute.

He rolled the parchment up, stuck it in his belt, and headed for the door. Irma had been telling the truth all along. He had to get to the dungeons.

* * *

Gareth ducked out of sight as they dragged Sage Elnar away. He'd been doing a lot of that today.

His mind was still reeling from what he'd just overheard. He'd always known there was something fishy going on, but the conspiracy Elnar had just revealed as a huge shock. His insides twisted at the thought of a woman murdering her husband and children just for the sake of power. He could only imagine whatever Prince Tallon had seen when the room had gone all red and smoky; he'd been just outside the door. When the guards had come down, Gareth had been forced to hide under a nearby old tapestry – not the most effective hiding place, but it'd been the only one available.

After a minute or so, the prince came out. His face was set in grim determination, which changed to mild surprise for a second when he saw Gareth. "What are you doing here?" he demanded, "State your name and purpose!"

Gareth got down on one knee, as was instructed of all the palace servants when being addressed by a member of the royal family. "My name is Gareth, son of Kemlen; I work down in the kitchens. I witnessed the Guardian Irma attempting to free the Nolimarian prisoner, shortly before you arrived."

“I do not recall seeing you there."

“An advantage of being a palace servant. It's easy to make yourself unnoticed. I was only down there to fetch more wine, and I heard a noise coming from the dungeons, and I felt compelled to investigate."

Gareth waited for the prince's response.

"Did you hear everything just now?"

"Yes."

"Then what is your opinion on the matters discussed?"

Gareth had never been asked of his opinion by any of his superiors before. "I think something should be done about this war, and it's time for peace."

"As do I. But first we must gather allies, starting with Irma."

* * *

"Where are we going?" Gareth kept a tight grip on Gwendalle's hand as he and Tallon led her down to the dungeons. They'd made a detour to the kitchens to bring her along, at Gareth's insistence, and had already explained most of the situation, but had yet to inform her that they were freeing a few war prisoners. "Gareth? What's going on?"

"You'll see," he replied evasively. He handed her his torch and pulled out his keys. He stuck one into the lock on the Guardian's cell door and started jiggling it around.

"Where did you get a dungeon key?" Tallon asked suspiciously.

"Didn't. The palace locksmith ain't exactly one of the best. Odds are, there are about five or six locks that can be opened by the same key. So one of mine should do for this one." Finally, the lock clicked, and the door swung wide open. "Told you."

The Guardian was sitting in a corner inside, half asleep. She looked up when the torchlight filled her cell. "What's going on?" she demanded, standing up, "Tallon?"

Tallon stepped in and offered her his hand. "Irma, I must apologise," he said. The prince kept his head held high, even in the moment of humility. "I went to Sage Elnar, and he set me straight. I know what really happened that day, and I now understand that Javiera has to be stopped. I am with you in this. Please, will you forgive me?"

Irma gave him a cocky grin. "Are you kidding?" she asked playfully, "How could I not?" Almost impulsively she jumped forward and gave him a quick, tight hug. Then she looked over at Gareth and Gwendalle. "Who're they?"

"Gareth and Gwendalle both work in the kitchens. They have agreed to join our cause."

"That's great! But you two might wanna move three or four or a dozen steps towards that wall behind you there about now."

"What?" Gareth asked. No sooner had the words escaped his mouth, the stone floor began o tremble and crack beneath their feet. He grabbed Gwendalle around the waist and pulled her all the way over to the wall. A huge hole crumbled noisily into existence, taking down a couple empty cell walls, too, and filling the air with a thick dust.

Gareth waved his hand around to clear the air. Eventually, the dust began to settle, and shadowy figures could be seen through the cloud, seemingly flying right out of the floor. "Hay Lin!" a girl's voice commanded.

"On it!" another girl chirped. "Air!" There was a mysterious _whoosh_ ing noise, and the dust was blown away by a sudden gust of wind.

A largo hole had been opened up in the middle of the floor, right where Gareth and Gwendalle had been standing only a few seconds earlier. Emerging from it were four young maidens with wings – the other Guardians. The voices of several other people echoed from the pit below them.

The girls hugged their friend tightly. "We were so worried!" the Guardian with long black pigtails cried. Gareth recognised her voice as that of 'Hay Lin'.

"Why?" Irma asked, "I was in telepathic communication with you guys the entire time!"

"So?"

"Guardian Irma!" another voice hissed from below, "Do you know where they are keeping Radelia?"

Irma shook her head. "No," she replied sadly, "I didn't even know they had her until Taranee told me. But Marikk's in the cell next to mine, and he's in pretty rough shape."

The Guardian with the long golden hair stepped in front of Marikk's cell door. "I've got this," she announced.

Irma grabbed her arm. "Wait. The last thing we need is another loud noise to get their attention. There could be dozens of guards on their way down thanks to your 'stealthy' entrance." The blonde pulled her arm away, looking affronted. "We can just _unlock_ the door."

"How?"

Irma turned and nodded to Gareth, who'd been frozen with Gwendalle in his arms against the wall. He carefully stepped around the hole, grasping at the key ring on his belt with his left hand and keeping a tight grip on Gwendalle's with his right.

A blue-skinned Nolimarian jumped up out of the hole as they passed it and pressed a crude stone dagger to Gwendalle's throat. "No! Stop!" Irma shouted, "They're here to help us!"

The man didn't move. "Yeah, right," he sneered, "Like this Moriunite whore's capable of turning on her filthy nation."

Gareth growled. "Let her go," he threatened. Gwendalle gave a shuddering gasp, still clinging onto Gareth's fingers. "Put the knife down and leave her alone." Still nothing.

"Ganhao!" A second Nolimarian emerged from the pit. "It does no good to harm the innocent. Leave the girl be." Despite his ragged and wild appearance, his voice rang with wisdom and authority. Gareth guessed he was their leader.

Ganhao glared at his superior before slowly pulling the dagger away and sticking it back in his belt, which Gareth noticed was full of over a dozen blades, at least. Gwendalle hurried back over to him, and he took her in his arms. She was shaking as she buried her face in his shoulder.

"A fine war this is turning out to be," Ganhao spat, "First we align with outsiders, now we're working with _Moriunites_."

Gareth continued over to the cell door. He unlocked it and pulled it open, and more Nolimarians came up and carried their friend out. "He needs to be taken to Dolani," the chief ordered, "She may be able to heal him if he survives the journey. Return when he is in her hands." The two warriors nodded seriously and jumped back down. Then the chief turned on Gareth, Gwendalle, and Tallon. "Exactly who are you?"

It took a while for Gareth to find his voice. "Gwendalle and I work in the kitchens," he replied, trying to keep his voice from quavering, "And we're against the Moriunite queen all the way, after what she’s done."

Irma stepped slightly in front of Tallon. "And this is Tallon," she stated, "He's on our side."

"Tallon?" Ganhao growled, "As in _Prince_ Tallon?" The fighter reached for his knife-belt, and Irma threw herself all the way in front of the prince.

"Don't even think about it!" she demanded, "He's with us!"

"Like I'm gonna believe-"

"Ganhao!" Once again, the Nolimarian was silenced by his chief. "You will do well save your blade for one who poses a threat. Prince or not, he is protected by the Guardians. We do not harm him." Again, Ganhao returned his weapon to its sheath with a bitter expression.

"The girl with the Heart," Tallon spoke up, "She is one of your people, right?" He received a stiff nod in return. "They are holding her in the throne room, for the queen's amusement. At this very moment, our most powerful sorcerer is being forced to try and remove it from her."

Irma gasped. "But the only way that could happen is if she willingly gives it up!" she cried.

"Or if she dies," a dark-skinned Guardian added, "Then it'll be up for grabs by anybody!"

"We've got to get there before that happens," the redheaded Guardian declared, "Or this all will have been for nothing."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, only a few more chapters left! R&R and stay tuned for the next one! The most action-packed one is coming soon!


	6. The Showdown, Part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, here's another chapter! Only two left! Can you believe it? I'm finally getting this done! I was supposed to start posting this story LAST JUNE, and now I'm FINALLY almost done! I would've gotten this up on Saturday, but I had a HUGE presentation to do today and had to spend all weekend working on it for English. Next update coming soon!
> 
> DISCLAIMER: I don't own W.i.t.c.h. or any of its characters, and I'm getting really tired of having to put that up here every time.
> 
> CLAIMER: I own Radelia, Yllauras, Elnar, Javiera, Kemlen, Gareth, Ganhao, and Talmar.

Voices. That was the first thing Radelia heard as she started coming to. Voices arguing back and forth.

"Your Highness, I beg of you!" one was saying, "The process of taking it from the girl would kill the girl!"

"Old fool, this is a war!" another commanded, "We must either kill or be killed. Such is the situation you are now in, Elnar. Find a way to get me the Heart of Yllauras, or We shall personally see to your execution!"

"I understand, Your Majesty, but what I mean to say is that it requires much knowledge of dark magic, knowledge which I simply do not possess!"

"You know how to do it, do not attempt to worm your way out of it! Take the Heart, even if you have to mangle its body beyond recognition!"

At that, Radelia willed her eyes to open. She was in the ridiculously ornate throne room of Moriun's 'great' Queen Javiera. She could feel the soft velvet carpet on the side of her face, her shoulder, down one arm, and her bare feet – all the spots on her left side that weren't covered by hair or clothing. The torches that lined the long walls every two feet filled the room with so much light, one might think it was high noon, but she could tell it was night-time by looking out the stained glass windows that made up practically the entire right wall. And even though she was facing the doors, she could tell that someone was kneeling piteously in front of the throne on the opposite end of the chamber, at the foot of the twenty stairs that led up to where the Moriunite queen sat like she was some damn goddess or something.

Radelia tried to move her arms, but realised they were bound at the wrists, as were her ankles. The officer standing over her, heavily clad in fancy, ornate, over-decorated amour spattered with her people's blood, held her bone-hilted dagger in its leather sheath. Anger erupted within her as he pulled it out and examined it with greedy fascination. How _dare_ he handle her precious blade as if it belonged to him! It'd been passed down from her grandfather, who'd made it with his own two hands, to her father, to her brother, and given to her when Marikk had been captured. Her fury peaked when he discreetly re-sheathed the dagger and stuck it in his own belt.

Enraged, she kicked his legs out from under him, emitting a feral scream. She grabbed the weapon with her bare feet and tossed it in the air, then turned so that it landed neatly in her hand. Before the soldier could get up, she'd sliced through her bindings easily. Rolling onto her feet, Radelia raced towards the nearest stained-glass window. She planned on diving shoulder-first through it. Headfirst would just make her dizzy, and she couldn't risk injuring her feet – she did have to run back home _again_.

But before she could reach the window, Radelia felt a metal-covered arm wrap around her waist and toss her to the right. She was falling towards an armoured guard, armoured everywhere except for the face. So she raised her dagger and, as they collided, drove it through his right eye socket, straight through to the brain, and back out again. He let out a short, painful scream as he fell.

A rough hand grabbed each wrist from behind, so she kicked backwards, catching the hand’s owner in the groin. His grip loosened, and she swung him around so that the momentum tossed him through the window. He screamed as he fell through the glass and down a whole storey, then was silent.

She was about to jump through after him, but suddenly she was struck on the back of the head. She stumbled, and something heavy forced her to the ground. Radelia struggled, but her limbs had been rendered immobile. She could feel her precious dagger being wrested from her hands, and she shrieked, not unlike a wild animal: "NO! You goddamn demons! I will kill you all!" New bindings were put on her – heavy chains wrapped around her legs, her wrists, and her arms. She was dragged back in front of the throne, writhing and yelling all the way.

The Moriunite Queen stared down with a mixed expression of greed and disgust from her high-and-mighty perch. "Do not bother," she snapped, her shrill, nasal voice maddening Radelia even further, "You will _never_ leave this room alive."

"Burn in hell, bitch!" Radelia spat back, "After all you've taken from me, I'll personally send you there!"

One of the higher-ranking soldiers, the one who'd taken her dagger earlier and now held it again, slapped her across the face. "Be silent in your Queen's presence!" he ordered her.

" _My_ queen? She is _not_ my queen! _No one_ , especially not a piece of Moriunite _trash_ , rules me!"

The officer brought his hand to her throat, squeezing it and cutting off her airway. Radelia gasped and tried to force some air into her lungs, but got very little. She couldn't move, she couldn't breathe, and she was filled with a burning desire to break free, rush up those velvet-covered steps, and rip Javiera to pieces with her bare hands. Only then would her bloodlust be satisfied, the bloodlust that'd dwelt within her since her mother's death, that'd grown when her father was also brutally murdered.

"Enough," the Moriunite queen commanded emotionlessly. The grip on Radelia's throat was released, and she gasped, taking in the air she'd been denied. Javiera slowly stood and descended the stairs, idly playing with the golden sceptre in her hand. She came to a stop in front of Radelia, then reached out and grasped at her necklace. The orange jewel glowed slightly, and the Moriunite queen recoiled as if burned. "It seems that the Heart _has_ , unfortunately, become attached to this peasant," she stated, "Strange, how something so beautiful and so _powerful_ could find its way into the hands of such filth. Imagine, the key to controlling all of Yllauras, worn around the neck of a _Nolimarian_."

Radelia growled. "Better than some Moriunite _hag_ ," she spat, "And what does mother's necklace have to do with this? So what if it's the Heart, or whatever they call it? It can't be all _that_ powerful."

The Moriunite queen's face twisted into a wicked, foul smirk of superiority. "You do not know? The Heart of Yllauras is the most powerful magical object of this realm. In fact, it is the very essence of the world's mystical energy contained in a single, small object. Whoever controls the Heart has the power to rule Yllauras itself. And once We are through with you, it shall be Ours."

Radelia grit her teeth. "Never," she hissed. Even if it wasn't some all-powerful magical object, she wouldn't let that hag have the last gift from her mother. Not even over her dead body.

The Moriunite queen's attention was suddenly drawn off to the side. Radelia followed her glare to an old Moriunite man in fine red robes standing by the wall, leaning on a weathered wooden staff and flanked by a pair of guards. "Well, Elnar?" Javiera snapped, "How do I take it from here?"

The man, Elnar, shook his head. "I told you," he said almost timidly, "You cannot take it from her without her permission. Not without killing her."

Radelia felt something she hadn't felt in a long time – fear. They could easily kill her, and with those chains holding her back, she couldn't do anything about it. She wouldn't be able to avenge her family, after all these years. She wouldn't be able to save her brother.

Javier's face twisted in rage at Elnar's words. "We don't care!" she yelled, "We don't care what happens to her, so long as We get the heart! Now do it!"

Elnar shrunk back. "No," he muttered.

The Moriunite queen grew livid. "WHAT?!"

"I would rather die than help you anymore. I'm an old man; I've lived my life well enough. If living means allowing you to take control of our world and rule it as a tyrant, then I will greet the alternative with open arms!"

Despite Elnar's passionate defiance, the Moriunite queen didn't explode again. Instead, her face grew expressionless. She stepped back and fingered the obsidian amulet around her neck. "There are worse alternatives than death," she stated, "Such as oblivion. We _will_ rule Yllauras, and you can watch it personally from within the Eye of Darkness!" She started chanting in some other language Radelia could not recognise, and her amulet began to glow purple. It wasn't a very bright glow, but rather a dark aura that emanated from the stone. Elnar held out his staff in defence, but it dropped out of his trembling hands as the same aura began to appear around him, still connected to the amulet.

Before she could complete the incantation, however, an arrow flew out of nowhere and embedded itself in her shoulder. Radelia craned her neck, trying to see where it'd come from. Ganhao stood at the front of a small crowd of her tribesmen in the grand doorway, a bow in hand. The Guardians and Matt hovered above them, and Caleb stood next to Ganhao and Talmar, sword drawn.

Javiera cried out in pain at first, when the arrow struck her, then she turned to face the entering army with a furious, loathing glare. "Kemlen!" she ordered, "Get all your men out of the dining hall and in here NOW!"

"Too late," Matt interrupted, "They're all either dead or passed out drunk. Looks like you're pretty much on your own."

Elnar, freed from the dark energy when Javiera had been distracted, took the opportunity to hobble away from Javiera and her guards. Ganhao turned his bow to aim at the old man, but Irma swooped down and landed in between them. "Sage Elnar!" she cried, "Are you alright?" She walked him closer to the group.

"Yes, Irma," he replied shakily, "I am unharmed. But you and your friends must defeat Javiera, before she takes the Heart of Yllauras."

"No problem," Cornelia replied, waving her left hand. The chains holding Radelia's arms and wrists unravelled themselves and wrapped around two of the guards instead, and the ones on her legs went after Kemlen. Finally free, she kicked his own legs out from under him, grabbing her dagger from his stunned hands.

She turned on Javiera next, fully intent on burying her blade to the hilt into the Moriunite queen's flesh. That hag represented everything she hated, everything that'd taken away practically all she held dear.

But then Javiera's amulet – her Eye of Darkness – began glowing again, and Radelia's vision grew darker. She felt something smooth, cold, and hard come between her and her target, then she was lifted off her feet. She was in some sort of large bubble, pulsing with dark energy. "The Heart," Javiera growled, "It will be Ours!"

"No." A young Moriunite pushed his way through the crowd of Nolimarian warriors, looking very out of place with his tanned skin. Radelia recognised him as one of the palace servants. She knew he worked down in the kitchens, but had never bothered to learn his name. It wasn't like she'd socialised with any of them while working undercover. "No, it won't"

Kemlen snarled from his current position on the floor. "Gareth, you little runt," he threatened, "What do you think you're doing?"

"What I should done a long time ago, _father_ ," the boy, Gareth, sneered, "I'm sick of all this. It's time for the war to end."

"It _will_ end," Javiera declared, pulling the arrow out of her shoulder, "when all the traitors and Nolimarians are exterminated like the filth they are!"

Suddenly, Radelia felt a pain like never before. It was like a fire had been lit beneath her very skin, and was burning her up from the inside out. She fought to keep a scream from escaping, but failed after ten seconds or so. She clenched her fists, screwed her eyes shut, and unleashed a howl of unimaginable agony.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so only 2 chapters left! R&R please!
> 
> Plus, I know the characters I introduced a few chapters ago, Gareth and Gwendalle, were a little sudden and came out of nowhere, but I do have a vague idea in mind for a sequel to this, where I'll expand on them a little more. But don't expect it to be coming anytime soon; I've got quite a backlog of stories and series to work on.


	7. The Showdown, Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, here's the second-last chapter of 'The War of Yllauras'. And, as a treat for all my faithful reviewers, I'll be posting the epilogue right after. And, sadly, this will be over. You guys have been great.
> 
> DISCLAIMER: I do not own W.i.t.c.h. or any of its characters.
> 
> CLAIMER: I own Radelia, Javiera, Kemlen, Tallon, Gareth, Gwendalle, Talmar, and Ganhao.

_Previously:_

_"It **will** end," Javiera declared, pulling the arrow out of her shoulder, "when all the traitors and Nolimarians are exterminated like the filth they are!"_

_Suddenly, Radelia felt a pain like never before. It was like a fire had been lit beneath her very skin, and was burning her up from the inside out. She fought to keep a scream from escaping, but failed after ten seconds or so. She clenched her fists, screwed her eyes shut, and unleashed a howl of unimaginable agony._

Then Radelia felt a strange, cooling sensation around her neck, which slowly spread throughout her body, ending the pain. She opened her eyes slowly, and saw that the dark orb that'd imprisoned her was dissipating into nothing. She was now lying on the carpeted floor.

A body flew over her, and she gasped and looked around. Her people were lying all over the room, dead or dying. Some duelled with the remaining guards, who had somehow managed to free themselves from the chains. The Guardians and Matt were flying near the ridiculously high ceiling, throwing all they could at Javiera, who floated in the air directly above the spot where Radelia lay. However, the hag was shielding herself with the same dark energy, and was unbothered by their attacks.

Radelia got up, feeling more energised than ever. It was only then that she noticed the orange glow. It came from the crystal hanging on her necklace. It pulsated and flashed brilliantly among all the chaos in the room. She was so transfixed by its glow, so entranced by its beauty, that she didn't see the attack coming until it hit her…

And bounced off.

Radelia could _feel_ the dark magic as it collided with her own, and she shuddered. She'd looked death in the face on several occasions, and dealt it out so many times, and it had become normal to her, a part of everyday life. But the pure greed and evil of the black magic chilled her to the core. It wasn't a feeling she was used to. It hit her again, sending a fresh wave of darkness washing over her, but she gritted her teeth and stood firm. She wouldn't let this stop her. The only way to save her people, to avenge her mother and father, was to kill Javiera, dark magic or not.

She suddenly became aware that the din of battle had been muted, and looked around. The Moriunite queen had knocked everyone back, save for Kemlen, Gareth, and another Moriunite in fancier clothes. The officer was duelling the others on two fronts. His son was struggling to keep up, while the newly arrived fighter seemed to be an expert at handling his sword.

Javiera stopped throwing her attacks at Radelia. "Prince Tallon!" she hollered, "What is the meaning of this betrayal?!"

The other Moriunite dealt Kemlen a swift kick to the face, temporarily stunning the older man. He turned to glare furiously at Javiera. "You are one to talk!" he shouted defiantly, "After what you did! This whole war is _your_ doing! I know what you did all those years ago! And if you think I will remain loyal to you and your cause after discovering the truth, than you are madder than I first believed!"

His former 'queen' shrieked in fury and hurled a wave of black energy towards Tallon, but Irma swooped in at the last second and pulled him out of the way. Kemlen and Gareth had to dive to the side – the latter just to escape being hit by the blast, the former also to avoid Irma's kick as she passed.

Radelia saw that Javiera's attention was diverted. She had to take advantage of the distraction. Picking her dagger up from where she'd dropped it, she jumped up and attacked, only mildly surprised when she rose several feet in the air in order to reach her target.

But just before she could drive her blade into the sorceress's back, Javiera whipped around and blasted Radelia with more black energy, sending her flying across the chamber and into a wall. Her dagger again slipped out of her fingers.

Radelia felt dizzy for a few seconds, but shook it off. She pushed away from the wall, still floating in the air. This simple fact did not faze her; it felt completely natural, like blinking or breathing. Javiera threw another mass of black magic at her, but Radelia blocked it with her own orange aura. Her jewel pendant was glowing brighter than ever now, driving back the darkness.

Javiera shrieked again, bringing out more of the shadowy aura, surrounding herself in it and allowing it to consume her. Then she sent forth the greatest and most powerful wave of evil energy yet. Radelia cringed as she tried to hold it back. It fought her every step of the way, pushing out from the entity that had once been the queen of Moriun; Javiera had been transformed into something that wasn't Yllauran, but something entirely different.

Radelia felt her strength giving out. She wasn't powerful enough to hold it at bay for long.

Suddenly, a pink flash caught her eye. Will was hovering off to the side, holding the Heart of Candracar out in front of her. A rose-coloured beam of light connected her to the crystal, and four more did the same with the other four Guardians. Radelia realised they were feeding their own power into the Heart of Candracar.

Radelia closed her eyes and focused on her own power, feeling the very essence of the Heart of Yllauras. It felt like an independent being, but working in harmony with her. As she focused, the intensity of her magical strength grew. Snapping her eyes back open, Radelia pushed back against the dark energy almost effortlessly, forcing it back into what had formerly been Javiera. At the same time, the Guardians sent their own burst of energy to help. A combined aura of pink and orange swirled around the black, trapping it all in one spot.

An inhuman shriek came from the center of the dark mass, and there was a huge explosion. Radelia found herself being thrown into the wall again, and falling to the ground.

When the dust finally cleared, Radelia scanned the room to take in the damage. It was difficult to see anything at first; the torches had gone out, and the only source of light was the faint sunrise just beginning to creep over the horizon. Her eyes soon adjusted to the dim light – or lack thereof – and she could see everything. The whole chamber was filled with rubble. Several men, her own people, lay on the floor, some dead or dying or simply too injured to move, some beginning to pick themselves up. Caleb, Matt, Tallon, and Gareth were slowly getting up as well, and the Guardians emerged, too.

"Wow," Hay Lin commented, "Someone call maid service."

Irma flew over to the Moriunite prince. "Tallon!" she cried, hugging him tightly. Tallon looked startled at first, still dazed from the explosion, then returned the embrace.

Then Radelia spotted a body in particular that she recognised: Kemlen. He was sprawled face-up closer to the middle of the throne room. She went over and prodded him with her toe. Kemlen groaned in pain – the son of a bitch was still alive. Her fingers itched for her dagger, but it was now lying somewhere amongst the debris.

Chief Talmar suddenly appeared next to her. He had a few new wounds to add to his collection of battle scars, but was otherwise fine. "What shall we do with this one?" he asked her, "He was loyal to Javiera."

Radelia looked at him in surprise. Was he really asking _her_ what they should do? "You're the chief," she replied, "Shouldn't that be _your_ call?"

"Normally, yes. But you hold the Heart of Yllauras now. Your authority is above mine."

He knelt down in front of her in a bow. Radelia felt a swell of pride in her chest. She had the highest authority in the world. No longer would she be just the girl who'd deceived her way into the ranks of the tribe's warriors; she was above all the men who'd scoffed at her. She was more powerful than...

Her internal gloating stopped at this. She thought of Javiera, who had ultimately been destroyed by her thirst for power. Would the same thing happen to her? Would all the power she now held go to her head and turn her into a monster? She looked again at Talmar. Behind him, the other remaining Nolimarians were kneeling as well. All these people saw her as being above them, when she'd tried so hard just to be seen as their equal.

Radelia glared down at Kemlen again. He was beginning to stir. She should kill him right then and there. A particularly heavy chunk of stone ceiling lay nearby. It would do. She bent down and picked it up, then raised it above her head, ready to bring it down on the skull of the Moriunite soldier.

But she couldn't do it. She'd gotten her vengeance; the desire to kill every Moriunite she could lay her hands on was no more. The stone remained in its position over Kemlen, refusing to move any further. No, it wasn't the stone, it was her arms. As much as she loathed Kemlen, she couldn't bring herself to kill anymore. She was done with the fighting and death, all of it.

Slowly, Radelia lowered the stone, dropping it to the floor. "Tallon?" she called, "He's a Moriunite. Since Javiera's gone, that makes you the new king of Moriun, right? The decision is yours."

The prince – no, the king – stood up. "Commander Kemlen has committed many treacheries against the Moriunite Nation both before and during this war," he announced formally, "For that, he shall face trial."

"Trial?" Ganhao spat, "That greedy coward should be killed right on the spot!" A look from Chief Talmar silenced him, as always.

"My father wanted me to rule Moriun with honour and benevolence. Everyone should be entitled to a fair trial, even treacherous scum. Besides, a fair, public trial will only add more to Kemlen's humiliation, and I doubt _anything_ can save him from execution. I assure you, he will pay most dearly for his crimes, along with any others who remain loyal to the former tyrant."

"Fine, then," Radelia agreed, satisfied, "I've got a feeling our nations will reach peace much sooner if you keep going with policies like this."

Talmar removed the sacred band from his arm, the band that signified his status as tribal chief, and held it out to Radelia. "And it will go even faster if you lead the Nolimarians, great Keeper," he proclaimed. Ganhao's eyes widened in obvious, utter disbelief.

Radelia backed away a few steps. "No," she insisted, "I won't accept the leadership of a whole nation. I'd rather just be an advisor, or something like that." Yes, she'd like that. She wanted to have people listen when she spoke, but total obedience just wasn't something she felt ready for. Besides, what did she know about politics?

Talmar, looking slightly puzzled, put his armband back on. "Very well."

"So... is it over?" Cornelia asked.

"I think so," Caleb replied, "Maybe now we can go home."

Most of the outsiders nodded, but Irma clung to Tallon's hand. The new king now had an expression of sorrow on his face; he clearly didn't want her to go, either. "I guess this means we'll have to say goodbye," Irma stated sadly.

"I believe so," Tallon agreed.

Cornelia butted in. "Okay, hate to break up such a clichéd farewell," she interrupted, "but in case you've forgotten, Irma, we can travel through dimensions! You can come back and see him any time! I mean, _hello_ , Caleb and I live in other worlds, and that hasn't made much of a difference."

Irma's face brightened immediately. "Oh yeah!" she exclaimed, "In that case, you'd better leave a few spots in your schedule for me, 'cuz I'll be making plenty of trips here."

Tallon almost smiled. "Of course," he replied.

Radelia turned away. She really didn't understand these outsiders.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, now all that's left is the epilogue. I know it's sad, but all good things must come to an end. I've had a lot of fun with this story, even though the writer's blocks were worse than ever, making me want to tear my hair out several times.


	8. Dawn of a New King

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, this is the final chapter of 'The War of Yllauras'. Long, long months of writing and writer's block – God must've been in a nasty mood when he came up with those – but it's finally done. But I am thinking of writing a sequel. Don't hold your breaths, though. I've got LOTS of stories to work on, so it might be more than a year before it comes, at least. Until then, you can go back and read this over as much as you like, and if you're a fan of Di-Gata Defenders, Digimon Frontier, Avatar the Last Airbender, Bakugan, Twilight, X-Men: Evolution, or Super Sentai, just sit tight, because I've got upcoming fics on each of those.
> 
> DISCLAIMER: For the last time, I do not own W.i.t.c.h. or any of its characters.
> 
> CLAIMER: I own Tallon, Radelia, Elnar, Gareth, Gwendalle, Talmar, Javiera, and Saiotu.

All the peasants were gathered up and escorted by a few guards – despite their massive hangovers and confusion over the change in government. They now milled at the foot of the stairs that led to the grand doors of the royal palace.

Tallon stood at top, Irma on one side and Sage Elnar – his new official advisor – on the other. Matt, Caleb, the rest of the Guardians, Gareth, Gwendalle, Talmar, and a few choice Nolimarians were behind him. Said choice Nolimarians did not include Radelia, however. Upon learning that her brother was alive at their village, she'd run off to be by his side.

They would have to hold several meetings to discuss the recovery of the Nolimarian tribes, getting the Moriunite colonists to leave the captured territory – that would be difficult – and rebuilding both nations and dealing with any other powers outside Moriun and Nolimar that might take advantage of their weakened state to expand their territory. It would be a long and difficult process, recovering from a thirteen-year long war. There was also the issue of dealing with war criminals and making reforms to Javiera's cruel regime. But for now, he had to ensure the public's support in the new government, so now he was to announce the coup to the peasantry and hope they would take it well.

He cleared his throat. "People of Moriun!" he announced, "Today the long war between Nolimar and our own nation has ended, and Javiera has been permanently removed!" A few shocked murmurs erupted from the crowd, but Tallon continued. "She lied and manipulated everyone right from the beginning of the conflict. King Saiotu was not murdered by the Nolimarians, but by Javiera herself! The lie was merely an excuse to declare war on Nolimar to conquer their territory." He paused to let the information sink in. "The Guardians have revealed the truth to us, and helped to bring the tyrant to justice. As the last son of Saiotu, I shall take the throne of Moriun. I promise, I shall use everything in my power to repair the damage done to both our nations, and to lead you into an era of peace!"

For the first few seconds, there was silence. Tallon feared the people would protest this sudden change. Then someone began cheering, and the rest of the crowd soon followed suit. Irma grasped his hand and he gave hers a gentle squeeze. "I suppose you shall be leaving now?" he whispered.

"Yeah, my parents kinda don't know I travel to other worlds," she replied, stifling a yawn, "And after tonight, or rather, last night, I could use a good twenty-four hours of sleep."

The other outsiders looked exhausted as well. The Air Guardian, Hay Lin, seemed about ready to fall asleep right where she stood. "Yes, perhaps you should get your rest. But you _will_ return?"

"Definitely. We'll even help you rebuild the villages and stuff like that. Plus, Cornelia's best friend Elyon happens to be the queen of Caleb's homeworld, Meridian, so we can get a lot of help from there, too." She gave him a soft, light kiss on the cheek before turning back to her friends. "So I'll see you in a day or two, then."

The leader of the Guardians, Will, used her Heart of Candracar to open a mystical gateway for Caleb and Matt – apparently, Matt's family also didn't know about his inter-dimensional travels, and were under the impression he'd been spending the night at Caleb's home – and then another for herself and her team. And in a flash of light, they were gone as well.

* * *

_Saturday, July 4 th, 2009_

Irma stretched and yawned. They'd been up all night, and she was damn dead beat. The Guardians had landed in the Silver Dragon basement to find their Astral Drops fast asleep in their sleeping bags on the floor. When the clones vanished, they left only the pyjamas they'd changed into. The clothes the Astral Drops had been wearing when they'd been created were copies as well, so they also disappeared.

The real Guardians quickly changed in the light of the sunrise – luckily Yllauras was an hour or so ahead of Earth – and climbed into their sleeping bags. "Damn. Bringing peace to a whole nation in just one night can take a hell of a lot out of you," Cornelia commented.

"You said it," Taranee agreed sleepily.

Of course, Irma knew from her past experience with Meridian and her history classes that it would take more than a night for everything to be resolved in Yllauras. There would be tensions between the two nations remaining after over a decade of war, both nations were severely damaged in the conflict, and so they were in a defenceless position if one of the other nations of Yllauras decided they might want to expand their territory. But with Tallon ruling over Moriun, and Radelia wielding the world's Heart, it was a new beginning.

 

THE END

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And... that's all, folks! Thank you so much for reviewing and supporting 'The War of Yllauras'. You guys have been great.


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